In the home and building industry, trade shows play a crucial role in helping brands maintain a strong market presence and foster community engagement. They’re where new products debut, innovations are showcased and live demonstrations highlight how products perform in real-world applications.

Trade shows are also one of the best opportunities for brands to connect directly with their target audiences, helping build connections that drive both brand awareness and loyalty.

For Huber Engineered Woods, trade shows are much more than a marketing milestone. They’re a chance to build community, share expertise and celebrate the professionals who use and rely on their products every day.

Wray Ward has partnered with Huber for years to support their trade show strategy and on-site storytelling. Recently, we caught up with Brandon Miller, Huber’s senior director of marketing and communications, and Chris Cook, Huber’s content marketing manager, to discuss how they turn trade shows into powerful brand experiences.

What makes trade shows such an essential part of Huber’s marketing strategy, and how do you approach each show to make the most impact?

Brandon: Trade shows are a unique opportunity for us to engage directly with our customers — builders, contractors, architects and distributors. These are the people who rely on our products to deliver high-performing homes and buildings, and connecting with them face-to-face is invaluable.

For the 8 to 10 major trade shows we attend each year, we always start our planning by evaluating our audience, understanding what they care about, what challenges they face and how our products can help solve them. Our approach is all about meaningful engagement. We want every touch point, from booth conversations to live demos and social content, to reinforce our value as a trusted partner. We’re not just showcasing our products; we’re demonstrating solutions that enable our customers to deliver high-performing and reliable building solutions.

How do trade shows help you strengthen relationships and build community?

Chris: One of the most significant advantages of trade shows is the opportunity to have authentic conversations. When someone who uses your products every day can tell you about their experience or ask questions face-to-face, that’s powerful. It builds trust and turns customers into advocates.

We use our booth as more than just a display of products — it’s a hub for engagement and community building. Programs such as our annual Best of Social Awards celebrate and recognize our builder community. At the same time, our booth itself becomes a “show within a show,” with a stage built from our products where industry experts share best practices. Even small details, including limited-edition giveaways and interactive product demos, help spark conversation and connection. Ultimately, the goal is to create an environment where people want to spend time, interact with our team and leave feeling more connected to our brand and the larger builder community.

What are some of the ways Huber engages attendees beyond the booth itself?

Chris: We look at trade shows as an ecosystem — the booth is just one piece. Social media plays a huge role before, during and after each show. We share behind-the-scenes looks at our team and products, highlight live demos and encourage attendees to tag and share their own experiences.

We also work closely with partners, including Wray Ward, to help amplify that effort. The Wray Ward team knows our products and audiences well enough to act as an extension of our own team during the trade show, helping us capture and share the real energy of the show while maintaining a consistent brand voice across every channel.

From a marketing perspective, what’s your biggest goal when activating at a trade show?

Brandon: For us, it’s all about connection and continuity. We want people to walk away from our trade show booth feeling like they learned something new, had a great experience and deepened their understanding of what Huber stands for. But that connection shouldn’t end when the show does: Our goal is to extend those relationships year-round through ongoing content, education and engagement.

We also view each show as an opportunity to align our internal teams, from marketing and sales to product development, around shared insights and perspectives. The conversations we have at IBS often inform our messaging, product storytelling and future campaigns.

How does Wray Ward support Huber at major trade shows such as IBS?

Chris: The team at Wray Ward is deeply immersed in our products and knows our customers, which enables them to step in seamlessly and help us maximize every opportunity at a show. The Wray Ward team has been what I’d call a force multiplier, expanding the reach and impact of our social and public relations efforts while keeping everything aligned with our brand strategy.

The Wray Ward team has been what I’d call a force multiplier, expanding the reach and impact of our social and public relations efforts while keeping everything aligned with our brand strategy.

That partnership allows our internal team to stay focused on what we do best — engaging directly with our customers — while ensuring our message reaches well beyond the trade show floor.

At the Intersection of Entertainment and Education

Trade shows are more than just a marketing touch point. They’re a chance to engage audiences through both education and entertainment. As Brandon notes, Huber focuses on creating experiences where attendees can learn from experts while also enjoying interactive, hands-on activities that bring products to life.

If you want to dive deeper, check out the other parts of our Trade Show Planning Series, linked below, where we share insights on strategy, engagement and activation tips that help brands in the home and building industry stand out on the show floor.

Looking to elevate your next trade show or event? Reach out to our team to see how we can serve as an extension of your marketing efforts and help you create experiences that drive connections, community and results. Let’s connect.

For more insights on maximizing your trade show presence, explore the rest of our content series, featuring trade show planning best practices and influencer and partnership program strategies.